Students and Teachers as Changemakers

Abstract

This article argues that language students and teachers are changemakers and that, in keeping with progressivist philosophy and the bottom-up social paradigm, they can play a powerful role in creating a better world. As our understanding of the world continues to increase, both students and teachers can use this increased understanding to initiate changes, so that we can transition to better times. These changes include transformations of all sizes. Small transformations take place within and among individuals, while big transformations involve systems and institutions and thousands or even billions of people, as well as companies, other organizations, and countries. Many in education concentrate on small transformations, and those, no doubt, carry weight. This article encourages us in language education to include contributing to or even attempting to initiate big transformations in a number of areas. In fact, working on all sizes of transformations simultaneously may be the most effective path. Examples are given and suggestions of such varied-sized transformations by language learners and teachers are made in three areas based on a review of research on student-centered learning, collaborative learning, and diet change. This article also suggests that students and teachers as changemakers could start with taking small steps, which then provide them with both the confidence and credibility necessary to advocate for big steps and create impactful changes.